The Odd Couple II: Welcome To Fatherhood, B:tch!
by writer-always-n-forever
Summary: Things were okay when she was pregnant. Weird, but okay. Now Luke's got a real live baby to take home and take care of...Sequel to The OC, The Odd Couple. Entirely in Luke's POV. )
1. Uh,

A/N - Since you guys asked so nicely for a sequel and gave such rockin' reviews on the final chapter of The OC, The Odd Couple, here's my second story in the "saga"! Also, I was bored today and came up with this. The idea of Luke and a baby is just too cute. It's going to be written in the same style, but it's only Luke's POV the whole time. Please let me know what you think and if I should continue! Sometimes sequels just ruin the original you know...let's hope this isn't the case. =)  
  
Uh,  
  
There's a baby beside me in my truck.  
  
And it's mine.  
  
And I'm supposed to take her home,  
  
And raise her until she's as old as I am now.  
  
Ho-ly  
  
_Shit_.  
  
There were nurses at the hospital!  
  
They knew whether she was crying because she was hungry or tired!  
  
They knew how to hold her head so it didn't droop!  
  
They knew how long she was supposed to sleep!  
  
And nobody ever told me to take notes.  
  
This isn't fair.  
  
And Ryan and I never did figure out that damn crib.  
  
It's in pieces in the poolhouse.  
  
But that's okay,  
  
I think she's supposed to sleep in that bassett thing for awhile anyhow.  
  
Was it 24 hours a day, the nurses said?  
  
No, that can't be right.  
  
22?  
  
_20_?  
  
Hell, I don't know.  
  
Mom!  
  
Mom will know!  
  
My mom, of course  
  
Not the baby's.  
  
Julie took the easy way out.  
  
"I need to reconnect with my other daughters before I screw this one up."  
  
Then again, I guess that's true.  
  
But her two are sixteen and ten.   
  
They don't wear diapers.  
  
This is backwards...  
  
Since Julie knows how to take care of a baby,  
  
Shouldn't she be doing it?  
  
I guess the main deciding factor is that   
  
I want to  
  
And she doesn't. 


	2. Dolls

A/N - Wow, what a response I've gotten! That makes me happy! So happy, in fact, that I decided to update. All of you who reviewed the first chapter rock. Please review this one, too! =)  
  
Her name is Parker.  
  
Parker Jane Ward.  
  
My dad's been a really big help to me through this  
  
So I sort of wanted to name her after him  
  
So I figured, Carson is a last name,  
  
So I'll just give her a last name for a first name, too.  
  
Parker.  
  
As for Jane, I always just thought it was kind of pretty.  
  
When Summer and I were little and used to be neighbors,  
  
And she made me play dolls with her,  
  
I always named my Lissy doll Jane.  
  
Summer always said,   
  
"Jane? Ohmygod, Luke, that's like, a grandma's name."  
  
Her Lissy doll was always something like Alexis or Buffy or Bianca.  
  
Summer doesn't mind that I used Jane, though.  
  
I don't think it would've mattered to her if I would've named her "Grandma".  
  
She brought over four bags of baby clothes our first night home.  
  
She's actually really good with babies.  
  
Must be all that playing with the Lissy dolls.  
  
Hopefully it'll help me out too.  
  
If it doesn't,  
  
It looks like Summer will. 


	3. PJ

A/N - =) =) I'm so geeked you guys like it! I am extra busy this week, hopefully it won't interfere too much with the story...keep reading and reviewing! Iloveyouall!  
  
I've started calling her PJ.  
  
Is five days old too young for a nickname?  
  
It just sort of came out.  
  
I was changing her diaper at four a.m.  
  
And when I sat in the rocking chair with her,  
  
I said, "Okay, PJ, time to hit the hay."  
  
It rhymed.  
  
Like that book I read her.  
  
Damn, I'm good.  
  
Maybe I won't be so bad at this Daddy stuff after all.  
  
Babies can tell when you rhyme, you know.  
  
It's good for their brain development.  
  
Or maybe it's that they can tell when you speak softly  
  
But I'm sure they like rhyming too  
  
Or why would all those Mother Goose books rhyme?  
  
So anyway,  
  
She's PJ.  
  
Ha  
  
Another rhyme  
  
Mom thinks it's adorable that I call her PJ.  
  
She likes it too.  
  
And she's officially decided that Thursdays  
  
Are "Grandma Nights".  
  
Every Thursday night, she takes PJ  
  
So that I can go out with friends.  
  
I don't have the heart to tell her  
  
That I don't have any. 


	4. Pink

A/N - I am so excited that I have a following for this fic too! You guys seriously brighten my days with your kind reviews! I'm still in the intro stages of this story so it can really go anywhere, so I'm mulling it over...keep reading, thanks! Love you all! =)  
  
It's eight at night.  
  
PJ is awake.  
  
Her eyes are blue, just like mine.  
  
She's lying in her swing.  
  
She was tipping over, so I had to stuff blankets around her.  
  
I hope she's not too warm...  
  
The doctor said to keep her as warm as I feel.  
  
I'm wearing a tanktop and shorts.  
  
She's wearing this adorable little yellow...  
  
Um...  
  
I think Summer said it's called a romper.  
  
It's got a little baby boy surfing on it  
  
And it says,  
  
"I Love Surfer Boys"  
  
It came with this floppy matching hat  
  
But it's too big  
  
It falls over her eyes  
  
And I hate that  
  
Because her eyes are so cute  
  
I'm folding her little baby outfits  
  
There's  
  
So   
  
Much  
  
Pink  
  
Maybe tomorrow I'll put her in her little pink tennis skirt set  
  
And I'll wear my pink alligator Ralph Lauren polo  
  
And we can match  
  
"Would you like that, PJ?" I whisper,  
  
Tugging at her little bare foot.  
  
Her lips twist a little, not quite a smile  
  
I'm still waiting for that  
  
Erik and Brad are out in the pool  
  
They've got this little, "My First Baby Float"  
  
That they can't wait to use with PJ.  
  
But I'm not letting her go swimming yet.  
  
She's barely a week old.  
  
I'm reading What To Expect In The First Year  
  
And I haven't gotten to the swimming chapter yet  
  
Mom saw me reading it,  
  
And she said,  
  
"Luke, sweetie, you want to know what to expect in the first year?  
  
I'll tell you.  
  
Expect to function on three hours of sleep.  
  
Expect to be thrown up on daily.  
  
Expect to change a thousand diapers.  
  
Expect to reach the end of your rope and burst into tears right with her.  
  
Expect to pinch your fingers thirty-eight times trying to fold a stroller/Pack 'N'Play/crib railing/shoe buckle.  
  
Expect to give up all "You" time.  
  
Expect to fall in love completely with your little girl."  
  
Well, that certainly didn't take a year. 


	5. Fuzz

A/N - _Hands Certificate of Appreciation to each and every reviewer, applauds_ Thank you thank you thank you thank you! You all rock! I love you! You keep your own chapters coming! This one feels almost a little slashy to me...I didn't intend it that way. This is not going to be a slash. R n R! =)  
  
She really doesn't cry much.  
  
Really.  
  
I'm so grateful to her for that.  
  
But when she does cry,  
  
It's so...  
  
Sad  
  
Like she's already got a broken heart  
  
From that three-month-old little boy  
  
At the park  
  
Which I know is impossible  
  
Because the only one she knows how to love yet  
  
Is me  
  
And I love her too much to break her little heart  
  
I know it's just because she's hungry  
  
Or wet  
  
Or bored  
  
Or lonely  
  
And sometimes  
  
I wonder if she misses her mother  
  
Without even having known her for more than a day  
  
Julie hasn't called once  
  
Not that I want her to  
  
She's crying right now  
  
Due for her feeding  
  
I'm just settling the two of us in the rocker  
  
When someone knocks on the door  
  
I try to feed her one-handed and open the door  
  
And almost drop her when I see who is there  
  
It's Ryan  
  
"Hey," he says. "Wow, she's gotten bigger. Is she getting hair?"  
  
Panicked, I look at PJ's head  
  
Is it possible she started sprouting hair and I missed it?  
  
It's all those damn hats Summer's been sticking on her  
  
Sure enough, she has the finest white-blonde peach fuzz  
  
I feel like shit because I didn't notice  
  
"She's beautiful, Luke. She seems really happy."  
  
This lifts my spirits a little.  
  
"Thanks," I say. "So...what...?"  
  
I trail off  
  
"I thought maybe we'd see if we can't figure out that crib," Ryan says  
  
Nodding towards the pile of white-metal bones  
  
Still lying on the floor.  
  
"After all, she'll outgrow that bassinette before you know it."  
  
Just as quickly as she grew hair, I think to myself.  
  
I remove the bottle from PJ's mouth and burp her  
  
She does so magnificently, and I laugh proudly  
  
Why I'm really laughing  
  
Is because Ryan is our first and only visitor  
  
Aside from Summer 


	6. Anniversary

A/N - Just a short one...someone requested PJ's age, so here you go! Look for some more Ryan and Carson in upcoming chapters...okay, you wonderful people! Do what you do best (review)!!! Thank you. =)  
  
Today is my daughter's one month birthday  
  
Mom, me, Erik, and Brad had a little party  
  
Mom even invited Dad  
  
Luckily, he came alone  
  
He came and visited for the first time since she was born  
  
The day after Ryan came  
  
We did finally figure the damn crib out  
  
We finished at one in the morning  
  
And watched The Cable Guy on HBO  
  
Anyway,  
  
My family all got PJ little presents  
  
Mom made her a tiny satin white quilt  
  
Erik and Brad bought her this little pink soccer ball  
  
Dad brought this amazing framed portrait  
  
It's sepia-toned  
  
Of me and PJ when we first met  
  
I'm standing in the hall outside the delivery room  
  
Staring at PJ in amazement  
  
Holding her in my arms as she squalls  
  
I hung it in the poolhouse right over her crib  
  
Mom says I'm going to have to start putting her in it soon  
  
But it won't fit right next to my bed like the bassinette  
  
Maybe next time Ryan comes over  
  
Which is tomorrow  
  
We'll see about moving my bed 


	7. Accident

A/N - A pea-sized amount of drama, all for my incredible fleet of reviewers! I write more for you guys than I do for the fun of it. That's crazy. You're all awesome. Thanks! I'm thinking I have an idea of where to go with this story...not sure if I like it yet or not...let me know what you think of this installment! =)  
  
Today I was giving PJ her bath in the sink  
  
And she slipped out of my hands  
  
I don't know how it happened  
  
I never take my eyes off her  
  
I'm afraid she'll get a tooth while my back is turned  
  
But somehow  
  
She slipped out of my hands  
  
And bumped her downy head   
  
On the edge of the sink   
  
And promptly started screaming  
  
As did I  
  
I picked her up,  
  
Naked, sudsy, dripping wet, and wailing  
  
I held her tightly against my chest  
  
Soaking through my tank top  
  
And ran into the house,  
  
Yelling for my mom  
  
Like I did when I was thirteen and broke my arm playing football  
  
She was arranging flowers on the table  
  
And dropped the roses when she saw us  
  
"Oh, God, Luke, what happened?" she asked.  
  
I had a hard time handing PJ to her  
  
I didn't want to let go of her  
  
And at the same time,  
  
It was _my fault  
_  
Her head wasn't bleeding or bruised  
  
But boy, was she screaming  
  
Mom comforted her and made her stop  
  
And I stood there,  
  
Covered in bathwater and tears  
  
Feeling completely useless  
  
I ran out of the house, leaving PJ with someone  
  
Who knows what the hell they're doing  
  
I got in my truck and sped off  
  
I didn't know where I was going  
  
Somehow I ended up in front of Julie's  
  
I sat there and wondered  
  
If she was doing the right thing in staying away  
  
And wondering if PJ would be better off  
  
If I had done the same.  
  
I had nearly killed her.  
  
Sure, she was fine _this_ time.  
  
But I don't even know how it happened.  
  
What if if next time  
  
It's worse?  
  
I don't even realize I'm crying  
  
Until I look in the rearview mirror  
  
As I go anywhere but home 


	8. Confrontation

A/N - Sorry about the update lag...had a friend leave for Thailand this morning and have been busy sucking up his spare time! Still, the reviews just keep coming, so so do the chapters! You guys rock, but you know that 'cause I tell you all the time. Thanks for the reviews so much! =)   
  
I ended up at the beach.  
  
I didn't feel like going to Ryan's  
  
And it wouldn't have been right for me to go to Summer's  
  
And who does that leave?  
  
I know if I went to my dad he'd try to tell me to go back to her.  
  
Somehow  
  
Dad finds me anyway  
  
I bet Mom called him and told him to do something  
  
I'm his son too, dammit.  
  
I was watching the surf fall in  
  
When he touches me on the shoulder  
  
And sits down next to me.  
  
"What're you doing out here?" he asks.  
  
"Exactly the opposite of what you're doing," I say sardonically.  
  
And after a beat  
  
I add,  
  
"Being a parent."  
  
Dad nods slowly.  
  
"Scary, isn't it?" he asks.  
  
"Mom told you what happened," I say.  
  
Dad nods slowly.  
  
"Is she okay?"  
  
Dad blinks.  
  
"Your mother or your daughter?"  
  
I roll my eyes at him.  
  
"Yes, Luke, she's perfectly all right. She just had a scare, that's all. Just like you."  
  
I pick up a rock and skip it over the water.  
  
"Yeah, well, what if she would've hit her head or something? Then what?"  
  
My dad asks me if I remember my car accident.  
  
Or breaking my arm.  
  
Or getting knocked out in polo.  
  
Then he proceeds to tell me that accidents happen  
  
And your children get hurt.  
  
I think to myself,  
  
It's not just your child that hurts.  
  
"So what if you screwed up, Luke? That's what parenting is all about. Learning from mistakes. But you have to go back to her, you can't just bail."  
  
I'm silent for a moment  
  
Before saying,  
  
"You did." 


	9. Return

A/N - Oh dear...how like me to leave my loyal fans high and dry. I didn't even do it to keep you in half-hearted suspense! No, my fantastic reviewers, I've been really really really really busy and haven't had time to tend to this story! I'm not abandoning or doing away with it, but it will be awhile before I can update after this chapter, kay? Stick with me, you know I finish what I start! Usually =) Thanks for bein' patient!   
  
You know I went back to her  
  
Right?  
  
That night, even.  
  
Mom had fallen asleep in the living room with her  
  
I was glad,  
  
Because when I gently took PJ from her arms  
  
And my baby made the sound of a sleeping puppy when it stirs  
  
I didn't really feel like a second parental confrontation  
  
About responsibility  
  
The next day,  
  
Summer came over  
  
She was later than usual  
  
And I'd begun to wonder if she would show up at all  
  
She's so good with PJ  
  
It sort of makes me jealous  
  
I know that's retarded  
  
But still  
  
"You know, Luke," she said as she watched me tickle PJ.  
  
"I never in a million years would've guessed this would happen."  
  
"What?" I ask her. "That I'd have a baby with Marissa's mom?"  
  
Summer shakes her head.  
  
"No, that you'd be a good dad."  
  
The feeling I get just then  
  
Is better than the first time I kissed Julie  
  
Or Marissa  
  
Or anyone  
  
Nobody's ever told me I was a good dad before  
  
Of course, it was Summer  
  
Whose greatest area of expertise is what is "so five minutes ago"  
  
But still  
  
From the way PJ grins at me  
  
I think she thinks so too 


End file.
